Question : Growth of FPIs

(a) whether the Food Processing Industries (FPIs) has witnessed a steady growth and has the potential to grow more across the country including Odisha and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the existing standards of food technology in FPI are adequate to meet the standard imposed by the European and other developed countries in respect of imported food items from the developed countries and if so, the details thereof and if not, the corrective measures taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether there are any schemes for upliftment of food processing industries/ companies which are small in size and unable to compete with big MNCs which invest heavily on research and development in the food processing sector and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) the details of students who graduate from food technology institutes each year and the availability of skilled work force engaged in the food processing industries along with the initiatives taken by the Government to ensure sufficient skilled work force in this sector; and

(e) whether the Government has taken any steps to strengthen the Indian Institute for Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) for harnessing the potential of food processing industries in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a) The average annual growth rate of Food Processing Industries was 3.93% during 2011-12 to 2014-15 at current prices. The growth potential of food processing sector is very high as the level of processing in perishable products in India is estimated only at 2.1% in fruits and vegetables, 35% in milk and milk products, 21% in meat, 6% in poultry and 23% in marine.

(b) Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), administered by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is mandated to evolve science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, and to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. FSSAI has issued various regulations including the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. All articles of food whether manufactured within the country or imported are required to comply with the standards laid down in these regulations. The Schedule IV of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011 prescribes the sanitary and hygienic requirements to be followed by all Food Processing Industries.

(c) Ministry of Food Processing Industries has been implementing the scheme of Mega Food Parks, wherein food processing units of both small and large sizes are located. The Ministry is also implementing the scheme of Cold Chain, Value addition and preservation infrastructure, whose beneficiaries include small processing units as well.

(d) This Ministry has two academic cum – research institution viz. National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), at Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana and the Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, which offer academic programmes at Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. in food processing. 60 students pass out from IICPT every year. From NIFTEM 85 students passed out in 2015.
As per the Annual Survey of Industries, 2013-14, total number of persons engaged in Food Processing Industries was 17,41,034. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is working in close collaboration with Food Industry Capacity and Skill Initiative (FICSI), the Sector Skill Council (SSC) in food processing and regularly guiding and assisting it in achieving its mandate. The Ministry is strengthening the SSC in this sector by helping in all possible ways to complete the validations of the Qualification Packs (QPs) for each job role that have been developed and also helping in development of the course curriculum through (NIFTEM).



(e) The Paddy Processing Research Center was upgraded to Indian Institute for Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) with the support of MoFPI in 2008 through an upgradation project. Under the upgradation project, following facilities were created in IICPT
• National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited Food Testing Laboratory;
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Referral Lab;
• Food Processing Business Incubation Center;
• Academic Programs;
• Research Laboratories; and
• Administrative Building.

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